I would equate the ballet dancer to the serious Capoeira practitioner. Because of pure conditioning and strength, this person will probably take someone who doesn't seriously train in an alive art.

There is pragmatic Aikido techniques you could add into your existing game. I agree that it's unlikely that Aikido alone would be a very good platform for self defence as it lacks open active sparring. It's easy to take the piss however some of that circle work is very effective.

About 8 years ago I went to visit a top rated Akido school in Manhattan. I watched their entire training session. The main master instructor was not there that day but his senior student 2nd in command was, the guy had been with him for a very long time. Another student, who of a lesser level said he had been coming to that gym for 20 years training, consistently.

At the end of the class I asked how they deal with punches and I got shown some bullshit non-realistic over the top haymaker, getting blocked and quickly turned into a throw... I asked after that what they do against actual punches (a boxers jab). So the senior #2 attempted to do that against a student who tried their best impression of a jab... It wasn't a well preformed jab but it was fast enough that the senior student couldn't catch it and basically looked a bit embarrassed because after several tries he basically demonstrated to the entire school and me that he can't defend against a standard jab let alone punches in bunches. He said apologetically that he really wished his Sifu was there because he would be able to give a better demonstration. And let me make this bit clear, this guy was really good at Akido, I could see that from watching the class work.

So that's why I think it sucks, they can't defend against basic boxing, even when it's a poor attempt at basic boxing. There are exceptions to everything, but I suspect on the whole, most Akido schools practice Akido and not how to defend against common basic techniques from other present day MMA styles. If there are exceptions out there that work towards and eventually apply successfully akido to things like Boxing or Kickboxing or good TKD then by all means lets see it, I suspect most don't in any serious unstaged manner, and I suspect most Akido students, even 20 year akido vets, who aren't cross trained in some form of MMA sport, probably should avoid any confrontation with anyone who knows any sort of applicable cage fighting style or is just genuinely strong and crazy or high on pcp.

A few months after your post, but I hope that's a reasonable answer to your question.

edit: I'd love to see just good olympic quality Judo vs. any willing (hopefully good) Akido senior. I think that would put the question to rest, Judo has it's place and is effective, especially on hard wood or concrete. I suspect (yeah just an unsubstantiated guess) that Olympic Judo beats any form of Akido without fail.

About 8 years ago I went to visit a top rated Akido school in Manhattan. I watched their entire training session. The main master instructor was not there that day but his senior student 2nd in command was, the guy had been with him for a very long time. Another student, who of a lesser level said he had been coming to that gym for 20 years training, consistently.

At the end of the class I asked how they deal with punches and I got shown some bullshit non-realistic over the top haymaker, getting blocked and quickly turned into a throw... I asked after that what they do against actual punches (a boxers jab). So the senior #2 attempted to do that against a student who tried their best impression of a jab... It wasn't a well preformed jab but it was fast enough that the senior student couldn't catch it and basically looked a bit embarrassed because after several tries he basically demonstrated to the entire school and me that he can't defend against a standard jab let alone punches in bunches. He said apologetically that he really wished his Sifu was there because he would be able to give a better demonstration. And let me make this bit clear, this guy was really good at Akido, I could see that from watching the class work.

So that's why I think it sucks, they can't defend against basic boxing, even when it's a poor attempt at basic boxing. There are exceptions to everything, but I suspect on the whole, most Akido schools practice Akido and not how to defend against common basic techniques from other present day MMA styles. If there are exceptions out there that work towards and eventually apply successfully akido to things like Boxing or Kickboxing or good TKD then by all means lets see it, I suspect most don't in any serious unstaged manner, and I suspect most Akido students, even 20 year akido vets, who aren't cross trained in some form of MMA sport, probably should avoid any confrontation with anyone who knows any sort of applicable cage fighting style or is just genuinely strong and crazy or high on pcp.

A few months after your post, but I hope that's a reasonable answer to your question.

edit: I'd love to see just good olympic quality Judo vs. any willing (hopefully good) Akido senior. I think that would put the question to rest, Judo has it's place and is effective, especially on hard wood or concrete. I suspect (yeah just an unsubstantiated guess) that Olympic Judo beats any form of Akido without fail.

So you went to an Aikido school and asked them to defend against a strike and they didn't do it very well, thus you know that is sucks. Well, thats very scientific of you. I've been to very legit BJJ schools that didn't know how to respond to strikes. I've also seen some legit Judo guys who can't respond well to a strike.

On the flip side, I have seen boxers get the **** owned out of them by a double leg takedown. Your sample size was too small to be a very good study.

'YOU' don't like the fact that I didn't do a full 50 gym tour study of Aikido.....

Well **** wasn't that the point of this thread in the first place... To get Anecdotal evidence from a multitude of forum posters, and then pool together some sembelance of a more complete "aka scientific" understanding.

What am I supposed to do it all myself....

If I understand the way this forum works at all by now, I'm supposed to tell you your a fucking half-wit by now who should just shut the **** up. I'm not actually like that, but I think that's how this stupid fucking forum works and what many (again key word there, many, aka, not all) of you dumb fucks respond to?

That help my brother? Don't get upset this is just this internet you moron turtle! There are other Internets ok fellow warrior.

edit: for moron clarification. This was in NY fucking City, manhattan, not Alaska. I know I said this already but I feel now it needs clarification. This was an Aikido gym, located in a world capital. Sorry I did not go to Japan to check out their dojos, the commute fees would have run me a bit high and I would have ended up in Judo anyways. Anymore questions sir?

How's my bullshido rock doing? I'm swagger right motherfuckers? This is how the rest of you do this ****, I'm just trying to fit in. You tell me and I'll adjust my flex to the left Sensei. You tell me how you want it!

'YOU' don't like the fact that I didn't do a full 50 gym tour study of Aikido.....

Well **** wasn't that the point of this thread in the first place... To get Anecdotal evidence from a multitude of forum posters, and then pool together some sembelance of a more complete "aka scientific" understanding.

What am I supposed to do it all myself....

If I understand the way this forum works at all by now, I'm supposed to tell you your a fucking half-wit by now who should just shut the **** up. I'm not actually like that, but I think that's how this stupid fucking forum works and what many (again key word there, many, aka, not all) of you dumb fucks respond to?

That help my brother? Don't get upset this is just this internet you moron turtle! There are other Internets ok fellow warrior.

edit: for moron clarification. This was in NY fucking City, manhattan, not Alaska. I know I said this already but I feel now it needs clarification. This was an Aikido gym, located in a world capital. Sorry I did not go to Japan to check out their dojos, the transportation prices would have run me a bit high and I would have ended up in Judo anyways. Anymore questions sir?

How's my bullshido rock doing? I'm swagger right motherfuckers? This is how the rest of you do this ****, I'm just trying to fit in. You tell me and I'll adjust my flex to the left Sensei.